Give to the Department of Chemistry

Jerry C. Smith

B.S. (1965): University of Mississippi
Ph.D. (1971) : University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Postdoc (1972) : Arizona State University
NIH Postdoctoral Fellowship & Re (1974) : University of Pennsylvania

Specializations

Biophysical Chemistry

Biography

Research Interest:

My research interests concern the elucidation of the molecular basis for the potent transdermal penetration enhancement (TPE) properties of a series of imilnosulfurane and related compounds, the activity of which exceed that of Azone, a common reference TPE that is in clinical use. These investigations utilize various biophysical techniques including both scanning and titration calorimetry, 31P and 1H NMR, static and dynamic depolarization studies and the use of computational techniques to ascertain the location(s) of these compounds in the various skin models that include phospholipid bilayaers, these bilayers supplemented with cholesterol, and related preparations based on ceremides .

I also serve as a Director of the long-running NSF-funded chemical education program entitled “chemistry Collaborations, Workshops and Communities of Scholars”. This Program meets its mandate from NSF to improve chemical education, primarily at the undergraduate level, by running both short (2-3 days) and intensive five- and six-day workshops plus symposia, and mini workshops at the BCCE. The workshops cover both pedagogical and topical aspects of chemistry. The Program has served the needs of over 1,200 participants, primarily faculty and staff from two-year institutions to research universities, and has affected the learning of an estimated 1,000,000 students.